Alabama producers eligible for recovery funds

• These funds will help producers recover from agricultural losses from the recent tornadoes.

By Julie B. Yates, Alabama Farmers Federation | Jul 01, 2011

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has made available $3.8 million in financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to assist producers recovering from the tornadoes that ravaged Alabama during April and May of this year.

Applications are being accepted on a continuous basis. However, NRCS establishes "cut-off" or submission deadline dates for evaluation and ranking of eligible applications. The first submission date will be July 8, 2011.

“Alabama was pleased to receive this much-needed financial assistance,” said State Conservationist William Puckett. “These funds will help producers recover from agricultural losses from the recent tornadoes.”

Conservation treatment activities for EQIP are carried out in accordance with a conservation plan that is developed with the landowner or manager.

Interested landowners can contact their local NRCS office listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture or online at USDA. General program information is available on the Alabama NRCS website at NRCS.